Empowering Tennesseans to make diet and physical activity choices that enable them to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity and overweight have reached epidemic proportion in Tennessee. These conditions are key risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, stroke and some types of cancer. The leading causes of these conditions are poor diet and lack of physical activity. Tennessee Shapes Up is an educational initiative of the University of Tennessee Extension aimed at reversing the obesity trend.
Tennessee Shapes Up Initiative includes the following programs:
- Tennessee Shapes Up is a series of lessons (usually taught twice a week for eight weeks). Although appropriate for anyone, the lessons target adults. Class time includes instruction as well as a group activity, such as walking.
- Power U is a fun and innovative curriculum to teach fourth graders to develop healthy eating and physical activity habits.
- Power of Choice teaches youth (pre-adolescents and adolescents) how to make healthy eating and fitness decisions.
- eWellness is a web-based weight-control program using a team approach to build a support system for participants. This program is appropriate for worksites or any community group who would like to improve their health and control their weight. The county Extension agent leads the program and provides instruction for the team captains and team members (starting in 2008).
- Healthy Steps is a food and physical activity program for preschool children, their teachers and parents.
- Walk Across Tennessee is a walking program for all ages.
- Culinary Arts for the Everyday Cook is a series of cooking classes to help people learn that healthy foods taste good (starting in 2008).
- Body Works is a program to encourage mother/daughter discussions about a realistic body image and a healthy lifestyle practices (starting in 2008).
Call your county Extension office to find out when any of the above programs will be offered in your county.
| Betty Greer, PhD, RD Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist American Dietetic Association Certification for Child, Adolescent and Adult Weight Management University of Tennessee Extension Family & Consumer Sciences 119 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4501 Telephone: (865) 974-7402 Fax: (865) 974-3234 E-mail: bgreer@utk.edu |
Janie Burney, PhD, RD Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist University of Tennessee Extension Family & Consumer Sciences 119 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4501 Telephone: (865)974-7402 Fax: (865)974-3234 E-mail: jburney@utk.edu |
Michelle Vineyard Extension Specialist II University of Tennessee Extension Family & Consumer Sciences 119 Morgan Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-4501 Telephone: (865)974-7402 Fax: (865)974-3234 E-mail: mvineyar@utk.edu |